Henry VIII (play)
Scholars examining the text of Henry VIII found that individual scenes bore the distinct fingerprints of two different writers. James Spedding first raised the possibility of collaboration with John Fletcher in 1850, challenging the long-held belief that Shakespeare wrote the play alone. By 1962, Cyrus Hoy had divided the play between Shakespeare and Fletcher based on their distinctive word choices. Hoy noted that Fletcher used ye for you and em for them, while Shakespeare preferred other forms. The most common delineation places Act I, scenes i and ii, along with parts of Act II and III, as Shakespeare's work. Fletcher is credited with writing the Prologue, Act I, scenes iii and iv, and the Epilogue. This division suggests a collaborative process rather than a revision by one author after another. The evidence lies in the style of the verse, which in some scenes appears closer to Fletcher's typical style than Shakespeare's.
On the 29th of June 1613, a theatrical cannon shot employed for special effects ignited the theatre's thatched roof during an early performance. The fire burned the original Globe building to the ground, destroying the venue where the play was being performed. Contemporary reports state that the play was new at the time of the fire, having been acted not passing 2 or 3 times before. The King's Men were able to continue performances at the Blackfriars Theatre, their indoor playhouse, after the disaster. Fifteen years to the day after the fire, on the 29th of June 1628, The King's Men performed the play again at the reconstructed Globe. George Villiers, the contemporary Duke of Buckingham, witnessed this later performance but left half-way through once the play's Duke of Buckingham was executed. A month later, Villiers himself was assassinated.
Cardinal Wolsey passes over the stage with his attendants, expressing his own hostility toward the Duke of Buckingham. Later, Buckingham is arrested on treason charges, which are Wolsey's doing. The Surveyor serves as the primary accuser against the Duke. After hearing the Surveyor, the King orders Buckingham's trial to occur. Two anonymous Gentlemen open Act II, one giving the other an account of Buckingham's treason trial. Buckingham himself enters in custody after his conviction and makes his farewells to his followers and to the public. The play implies that the treason charges against the Duke of Buckingham were false and trumped up. Wolsey spreads a rumour that he himself is responsible for the King's action regarding tax measures. Katherine also challenges the arrest of Buckingham, but Wolsey defends the arrest by producing the Duke's Surveyor.
Queen Katherine enters to protest about Wolsey's abuse of the tax system for his own purposes. A lavishly staged trial scene portrays Katherine's hearing before the King and his courtiers. Katherine reproaches Wolsey for his machinations against her and refuses to stay for the proceedings. Campeius protests that the hearing cannot continue in the Queen's absence, and the King grudgingly adjourns the proceeding. Wolsey and Campeius confront Katherine among her ladies-in-waiting; Katherine makes an emotional protest about her treatment. Caputius visits her later. Katherine expresses her continuing loyalty to the King despite the divorce and wishes the new queen well. She is shown ill and told of Wolsey's death, having a vision of dancing spirits. The King states that it was his own doubts about the legitimacy of their marriage that led to the trial.
The King summons a nervous Cranmer to his presence and tells him that Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted in us, thy friend. The King confirms this friendship with the gift of a ring. Later, as a result of a carefully hatched plot, Cranmer is accused of heresy in the King's Council and told that he is to be taken to the Tower as a prisoner. Cranmer defends himself vigorously and then shows the King's ring. The King enters, declaring Cranmer to be a good man, a title that few of the Council deserve. Queen Anne Bullen gives birth to a daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth. The King asks Cranmer to baptise and be a godfather to the child, saying Thou must not deny me. Cranmer delivers a peroration on the glories of the new-born princess's future reign, stating Upon this land, a thousand thousand blessings. The Chamberlain, the Porter and his Man have difficulties controlling the enthusiastic crowds that attend the infant Elizabeth's christening.
Sir William Davenant staged a production during the Restoration era, starring Thomas Betterton, that was seen by Pepys. Thomas Betterton played Henry in 1664, and Colley Cibber revived it frequently in the 1720s. A revival produced by Charles Calvert opened at the Theatre Royal in Manchester on the 29th of August 1877, premiering music for the fifth act composed by Arthur Sullivan. The longest Broadway run the play has had is Herbert Beerbohm Tree's 1916 production, running 63 performances. In 1959, John Gielgud played Wolsey, Harry Andrews the king and Edith Evans Katharine at Stratford. Another notable production was the first at the reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe from the 15th of May to the 21st of August 2010. It included cannon fire at the same point as the 1613 production and a cast including Dominic Rowan as Henry and Ian McNeice as Wolsey. In 2019 the play was done in repertory at the Studio Theatre at Canada's Stratford Festival.
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Common questions
Who wrote the play Henry VIII?
Scholars determined that the play Henry VIII was written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher. James Spedding first proposed collaboration in 1850, and Cyrus Hoy confirmed the division of work by 1962 based on word choices.
When did the fire destroy the Globe Theatre during a performance of Henry VIII?
The original Globe building burned to the ground on the 29th of June 1613 after a theatrical cannon shot ignited the thatched roof. The King's Men later performed the play again at the reconstructed venue on the 29th of June 1628.
Why were treason charges brought against the Duke of Buckingham in Henry VIII?
Cardinal Wolsey ordered the arrest of the Duke of Buckingham through his Surveyor who served as the primary accuser. Contemporary reports imply these treason charges were false and trumped up for political purposes.
What happened to Queen Katherine during her trial scene in Henry VIII?
Queen Katherine protested Wolsey's abuse of the tax system and refused to stay for proceedings while Campeius argued the hearing could not continue without her presence. She later expressed loyalty to the King despite the divorce and died after learning of Wolsey's death.
Who was born to Queen Anne Bullen in the final scenes of Henry VIII?
Queen Anne Bullen gave birth to a daughter who became the future Queen Elizabeth. Thomas Cranmer baptized the child and delivered a speech about the glories of her future reign before enthusiastic crowds attended the christening.